The Blond Bomber nearly powers Conejo East All-Stars past Moorpark

POWER SURGE-Conejo East's James Street hits one of his three home runs Saturday against Moorpark in the District 13 Little League Tournament. Conejo East won Saturday's contest 15-11 to force a deciding game Monday, where Moorpark prevailed 11-5. In the end, Bill Moellering couldn't save his beard, but that's not such a bad thing.

The Moorpark coach made a promise to his players that if they won the Little League District 13 championship he'd shave his twodecades-in-the-making facial hair.

Thanks to six strong innings from pitcher Blake Barnes and an offense that continues to fire on all cylinders, Moorpark defeated Conejo East 11-5 Monday afternoon at Colina Middle School to wins its second consecutive District 13 title.

"It's been over 20 years since I've had this thing," Moellering said of the beard. "My wife won't recognize me without it."

Conejo East's James Street almost single-handedly made sure Moorpark didn't repeat as district champions.

In a two game offensive explosion that would make Albert Puljos jealous, Street capped his three home run performance from Saturday's season saving 15-11 Conejo East win over Moorpark with a solo blast in the top of the first inning Monday.

SPORTSMANSHIP-Moorpark's Blake Barnes and Conejo East's Cody Anderson slap fives after Barnes' first inning home run Monday. Barnes threw a complete game in Monday's title-clinching victory, striking out nine batters. Conejo East manager Charlie Shaw said he was proud of his team's accomplishments in the tournament. Four consecutive at-bats, four straight home runs for the shaggy haired blond bomber. It was a performance for the ages, Conejo East manager Charlie Shaw said.

"He is a fabulous baseball player," Shaw said. "He would've hit more if they would have pitched to him."

Street's first-inning bomb staked Conejo East to an early 10 lead, but Barnes answered right back in the bottom of the frame with a home run off Conejo East pitcher Eric Greene to tie the score.

In the top of the third inning, Street looped a triple down the right-field line that scored Michael Shaw. Greene knocked in Street moments later to give Conejo East a 3-1 advantage.

After Street's triple, his seventh consecutive hit since Saturday, Moorpark manager Tommy Luna didn't pitch to him again. Luna ordered Barnes to intentionally walk Street in the fifth inning and again in the sixth with the bases loaded.

"In my mind, I said, 'Somebody else is going to have to beat us,'" Luna said.

Moorpark's vaunted offense finally awoke in the bottom of the third inning when they scored seven runs and sent 13 batters to the plate.

Alex Nelson, Jeremy Sworzyn, Jackson Hall, Jayce Foster and Barnes all knocked in runs for Moorpark during the rally, while Broc Haas added a two RBI double.

Moorpark tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning on RBIs by Levi Moellering, Haas and Alex Hulme.

Down to their final three outs in the top of the sixth, Conejo East pushed across a pair of runs to close the gap to 11-5. But with the bases loaded, Barnes struck out Greene to end the game.

"I just threw strikes and let my defense do the work," said Barnes, who earned the victory by striking out nine and allowing six hits.

Charlie Shaw said his team had nothing to hang their heads about. Conejo East played six games in eight days and may have run out of gas at the end, but it was still an incredible ride, he said.

"The kids did really well," Shaw said. "They worked hard and are a little sad right now, but I've already had some of them ask when the next tournament is. They're ready to go again."

Moorpark will begin the quest to defend its Section 1 championship from 2005 beginning Friday afternoon at 5:15 at Arroyo Grande.

As for Bill Moellering, he said if Moorpark wins the section championship he'll color his long curly hair, per the team's request.

"If we win the next tournament," he said, "the hair's getting colored bright orange."